Eton raises a “Rukus” at CES (by Mark R)

Eton has produced a lot of solar-powered, energy efficient gadgets over the years, and so I had to stop by at CES to see what they had for 2012. I found that they were raising quite a ruckus with their Rukus.

The Rukus is the first portable Bluetooth sound system with a solar panel to wirelessly stream music from a compatible device. As you can see, it is made to be portable, and the speakers are pretty admirable, and they produce some pretty kickin’ noise.

What really sells the Rukus is its 40 square-inch solar panel that can harvest the sun’s energy, and it takes about six hours of direct sunlight for a full recharge. The Press release says that it “never runs out of power”, but that might be too much of a boast. It is very energy efficient, and can be charged via AC adapter. By the way, the Rukus has an integrated USB port so it can charge other devices.

Although you can’t see it very well in the photo, the Rukus has an E Ink SURF segmented display, which can display information without draining the onboard battery. The display can also be read in direct sunlight and at a 180-degree viewing angle.

The Rukus will be available someone in Q2 for about $149.95.

(Source: http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/category/solar-powered-gear/)

Solar-powered Kindle cover means you never have to plug it in again (by Sean Ludwig)

If you’ve ever wanted a Kindle that you never have to plug in, SolarFocus has the accessory for you with its solar-powered Kindle case.

Green tech has dominated the conversation around cars, but now it seems these eco-friendly trends are edging into mobile at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, where SolarFocus is debuting its Kindle case. Taiwan-based SolarFocus has other solar-panel products that have USB ports, but its Kindle case might be the most interesting, specific device.

The solar-powered Kindle case fits only the fourth-generation Kindle, but it should be available for the Kindle Touch in the spring. The front part of the case features one long solar panel, which is a bit inelegant. On the inside, there is a pop-up light that can help you read at night or in low-lighting.

SolarFocus says its Kindle case will make the Kindle battery last three times the normal duration, which amounts to three months. But because you can charge solely off the solar charger, you could, in theory, never need to plug it into a wall or computer USB port again.

The SolarFocus solar-powered Kindle case is a 2012 International CES Innovations Design & Engineering Awards Honoree. The device will be available online starting Jan. 15 for $80.

(Source: http://venturebeat.com/2012/01/08/solarfocus-solar-powered-kindle-cover/)

Win-Solar Energy Bike by Chen Chun Tung

Win-Solar Energy Bike concept is an intelligent electronic bicycle that is specially designed in a compact manner and can convert various natural power sources into electric power when the user rides it. This bike will enhance the efficiency of using energy sources like solar energy, wind energy, gravity electric energy and human energy, by converting them into electric power and storing the accumulated power into a rechargeable battery. At the end of the day or when riding uphill, this useful bike will automatically switch to electric riding mode in order to assist the rider.

(Source: http://www.tuvie.com/win-solar-energy-bike-by-chen-chun-tung/)

Notre Dame researchers develop paint-on solar cells

Imagine if the next coat of paint you put on the outside of your home generates electricity from light-electricity that can be used to power the appliances and equipment on the inside. A team of researchers at the University of Notre Dame have made a major advance toward this vision by creating an inexpensive "solar paint" that uses semiconducting nanoparticles to produce energy.

 "We want to do something transformative, to move beyond current silicon-based solar technology," says Prashant Kamat, John A. Zahm Professor of Science in Chemistry and Biochemistry and an investigator in Notre Dame's Center for Nano Science and Technology (NDnano), who leads the research.

 "By incorporating power-producing nanoparticles, called quantum dots, into a spreadable compound, we've made a one-coat solar paint that can be applied to any conductive surface without special equipment."

 The team's search for the new material, described in the journal ACS Nano, centered on nano-sized particles of titanium dioxide, which were coated with either cadmium sulfide or cadmium selenide. The particles were then suspended in a water-alcohol mixture to create a paste.

 When the paste was brushed onto a transparent conducting material and exposed to light, it created electricity.

 "The best light-to-energy conversion efficiency we've reached so far is 1 percent, which is well behind the usual 10 to 15 percent efficiency of commercial silicon solar cells," explains Kamat.

 "But this paint can be made cheaply and in large quantities. If we can improve the efficiency somewhat, we may be able to make a real difference in meeting energy needs in the future."

 "That's why we've christened the new paint, Sun-Believable," he adds.

 Kamat and his team also plan to study ways to improve the stability of the new material.

 NDnano is one of the leading nanotechnology centers in the world. Its mission is to study and manipulate the properties of materials and devices, as well as their interfaces with living systems, at the nano-scale.

(Source: http://www.solardaily.com/reports/Notre_Dame_researchers_develop_paint_on_solar_cells_999.html)

South Africa’s Solar Power Potential

As the United Nations climate change conference rages on, quite literally, in Durban, South Africa, experts from COP17’s host city point to one alternative energy source that could help it mitigate its emissions: solar power.

According to Dick Berlijn, of Subsolar Energy, Durban has one of the highest and most stable solar radiation levels in the world. “The variable is around 3%. That means that on a good day, solar radiation in South Africa is 100% and 97% on bad days. These conditions are extraordinary,” MD for Pretoria-based Subsolar Energy toldIndustry Leaders magazine.

With so much solar radiation, Berlijn believes solar is better qualified to produce clean energy for South Africa than wind. Besides, South Africa also has plenty of space to build solar photovoltaic (PV) plants.

South Africa needs to start moving towards alternative energy as the country still relies heavily on coal for electric power (90%). The country is the 16th biggest emitter in the global ranking, having dumped 369,4 million tons of CO2 in the atmosphere in 2009.

SolarPlaza’s Solar Future South Africa convention which will take place in Johannesburg in January 2012 will be discussing the country’s solar potential and related topics such as job creation, Feed-in Tariffs and business opportunities.

Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.

(Source: http://blog.cleantechies.com/2011/12/02/south-africa%E2%80%99s-solar-power-potential/)

A Light Wave of Innovation to Advance Solar Energy: Researchers Adapt Classic Antennas to Harness More Power from the Sun

Some solar devices, like calculators, only need a small panel of solar cells to function. But supplying enough power to meet all our daily needs would require enormous solar panels. And solar-powered energy collected by panels made of silicon, a semiconductor material, is limited -- contemporary panel technology can only convert approximately seven percent of optical solar waves into electric current.

Profs. Koby Scheuer, Yael Hanin and Amir Boag of Tel Aviv University's Department of Physical Electronics and its innovative new Renewable Energy Center are now developing a solar panel composed of nano-antennas instead of semiconductors. By adapting classic metallic antennas to absorb light waves at optical frequencies, a much higher conversion rate from light into useable energy could be achieved. Such efficiency, combined with a lower material cost, would mean a cost-effective way to harvest and utilize "green" energy.

The technology was recently presented at Photonics West in San Francisco and published in the conference proceedings.

Receiving and transmitting green energy

Both radio and optical waves are electromagnetic energy, Prof. Scheuer explains. When these waves are harvested, electrons are generated that can be converted into electric current. Traditionally, detectors based on semiconducting materials like silicon are used to interface with light, while radio waves are captured by antenna.

For optimal absorption, the antenna dimensions must correspond to the light's very short wavelength -- a challenge in optical frequencies that plagued engineers in the past, but now we are able to fabricate antennas less than a micron in length. To test the efficacy of their antennas, Prof. Scheuer and his colleagues measured their ability to absorb and remit energy. "In order to function, an antenna must form a circuit, receiving and transmitting," says Prof. Scheuer, who points to the example of a cell phone, whose small, hidden antenna both receives and transmits radio waves in order to complete a call or send a message.

By illuminating the antennas, the researchers were able to measure the antennas' ability to re-emit radiation efficiently, and determine how much power is lost in the circuit -- a simple matter of measuring the wattage going in and coming back out. Initial tests indicate that 95 percent of the wattage going into the antenna comes out, meaning that only five percent is wasted.

According to Prof. Scheuer, these "old school" antennas also have greater potential for solar energy because they can collect wavelengths across a much broader spectrum of light. The solar spectrum is very broad, he explains, with UV or infrared rays ranging from ten microns to less than two hundred nanometers. No semiconductor can handle this broad a spectrum, and they absorb only a fraction of the available energy. A group of antennas, however, can be manufactured in different lengths with the same materials and process, exploiting the entire available spectrum of light.

When finished, the team's new solar panels will be large sheets of plastic which, with the use of a nano-imprinting lithography machine, will be imprinted with varying lengths and shapes of metallic antennas.

Improving solar power's bottom line

The researchers have already constructed a model of a possible solar panel. The next step, says Prof. Scheuer, is to focus on the conversion process -- how electromagnetic energy becomes electric current, and how the process can be improved.

The goal is not only to improve the efficiency of solar panels, but also to make the technology a viable option in terms of cost. Silicon is a relatively inexpensive semiconductor, but in order to obtain sufficient power from antennas, you need a very large panel -- which becomes expensive. Green energy sources need to be evaluated not only by what they can contribute environmentally, but also the return on every dollar invested, Prof. Scheuer notes. "Our antenna is based on metal -- aluminium and gold -- in very small quantities. It has the potential to be more efficient and less expensive."

(Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110125955.htm)

Cool Gadgets Powered by Solar Energy

Everyone loves cool gadgets.  How about solar powered gadgets?  We think they’re even cooler.  We’ve put together a list of the some of the coolest solar powered products on the market and thought we’d share them with our readers.  Enjoy and feel free to share any nifty solar gadgets that you’ve come across.

1. Solar Backpack

This backpack combines the traits of a top quality bag with a new, powerful, thin-film solar module.  This solar powered backpack features multiple organizer pockets for your smart phones, iPods, accessories, and features a separate padded laptop cavity.  Coolest of all, the integrated thin-film solar charging module provides up to 4 watts of power to charge your handheld electronics quickly and efficiently.

2. Power Monkey
The Power Monkey houses a massive 9000mAh capacity Lithium Polymer battery, offers users real power in a compact, durable, solar powered shell. The unit is capable of recharging most 5V devices, including an iPhone up to 6 times, a Garmin Edge 800 up to 6 times, and standard mobiles up to 12 times. It can also be recharged in 3 ways: via the universal mains charger, via the solar panel, or via USB. The Power Monkey also has an auto shut-off function that will turn itself off after 2 minutes, so the user does not have to monitor the device and it saves power.

3. Solar Powered Fan
The Natural Light Solar Gable 20 Watt Fan is designed for home or commercial use but can also provide practical use in different applications that require air circulation. This solar energy product will provide years of use that will help reduce overall energy consumption and energy costs! It includes a 20w solar panel, gable vent fan, solar mounting rail, power cable, and mounting hardware.

4. iPod Speakers

The efficient Soulra XL can completely recharge its built-in battery in as little as five hours, depending on sunlight. It can also fully charge your docked iPod or iPhone in as little as four. And if it's rainy or dark, no problem — the included power adapter lets you charge the Soulra XL indoors, too. How much music playback can you expect? The system can deliver up to five hours on a full battery charge.

5. Solar Bikini

A solar film bikini that charges your iPod! (With a USB connection) We realize that this is a little out there, but just had to share it anyway! The suit is a custom made bikini swimsuit retrofitted with 1″ x 4″ photovoltaic film strips sewn together in series with conductive thread. The cells terminate in a 5 volt regulator into a female USB connection. A guy’s version is coming soon…

6. Solar Fountain

The Smart Solar Ceramic Cascade Solar Fountain is a perfect water feature for the hot weather. It lets you enjoy the peaceful sound of nature in your outdoor space as water tumbles from basin to basin. It costs nothing to operate, as the water is recycled via a hidden pump powered by sunlight.

7.Portable Solar Shower

Who knew you could take a hot shower virtually anywhere?  This solar shower features a wide handle grip for comfortable transport, an extra big filling valve with convenient twist off cap, variable flow on/off shower head to save water, a reflective mirror, and even pockets for soap and shampoo. Very cool for a camping trip!

8. Solar Freezer
This solar freezer is very cool (literally) solar product designed for mobile applications. Storing food, produce or any other goods in remote locations or mobile applications can easily be achieved with this freezer.  Made of galvanized steel and an aluminum interior, this environmentally friendly product is great for outdoor use or used with a mobile food cart!

9. Portable Solar Oven

This portable solar oven offers you the perfect 21st century outdoor cooking solution: a high efficiency solar oven that is capable of reaching temperatures near 400 degrees Fahrenheit or more using just direct summertime sunlight. The tri-panel design reflects direct sunlight using its large mirror finish reflector and then traps the energy inside its darkened cooking chamber. In the absence of adequate sunlight, the oven can be plugged into any 110v portable generator.

10. Solar Charged Key Chain Flashlight

This nifty key chain comes with Gama Sonic's solar-charged flashlight—the brightest in the world. Charge it in the sun for 30 minutes and have a compact, handy flashlight or a useful key ring in your pocket. The flashlight has 2 Super Bright LEDs bulbs.

(Source: http://info.ussolarinstitute.com/blog/bid/63161/Cool-Gadgets-Powered-by-Solar-Energy)